The Associated Press

PHOENIX - The tentative trade to send outfielder Larry Walker from the Colorado Rockies to the Arizona Diamondbacks for third baseman Matt Williams and three other players fell apart Friday.

The teams ceased talks after Williams vetoed the trade to remain with his family and the Diamondbacks failed to reach a financial agreement with Walker.

"Being there for my kids is everything in my life," Williams said. "This responsibility outweighs anything in my baseball career. I must and will be with my kids."

Walker and Williams had to approve the deal because both have no-trade clauses.

Williams turned down the trade because he has full custody of his three children, who are 10, 11 and 12.

"I'm a dad first and a baseball player second, and I can only hope that the public can empathize with my decision," he said. "Baseball is what I do, not who I am."

Walker balked at Arizona's request that he defer a portion of the $25 million he is due for 2004 and 2005.

"We never got past that issue. That was the only issue we discussed," said Walker's agent, Pat Rooney. "Larry just didn't want to alter his contract."

The trade also would have sent outfielder David Dellucci, first baseman Erubiel Durazo and reliever Bret Prinz to the Rockies.

Colorado is trying to rid itself of expensive, long-term commitments. Walker has three years and $38.5 million remaining on his contract. Williams has one year and $10 million left on his deal with the Diamondbacks, with half of the money deferred.

ASTROS: Houston right fielder Richard Hidalgo was shot in the left forearm during a carjacking in Venezuela, but he was out of the hospital Friday, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Chris Leible, who works for Hidalgo's agent, Peter Greenberg, told the paper that the player was shot around 9 p.m. Thursday. Hidalgo is recovering at home in Venezuela.

"He's doing OK," Leible said. "He was waiting for a friend outside in his truck, and he basically got carjacked."

The newspaper reported that Hidalgo, 27, is expected to return to Houston on Sunday night for more medical tests.

"He's going to get checked out further, but there's no ligament damage. No broken bones," Leible said.

Political turmoil in Venezuela has caused some ballplayers to remain in the United States this offseason instead of going home.

CUBS: The team is closing in on a deal that would allow it to expand Wrigley Field and make the famous ballpark a landmark.

"Agreeing to a landmarking of any kind, in our view, is a tremendous concession," Cubs president Andy MacPhail said, noting that no other major league park has such a designation.

Permission to expand the ballpark has been debated for nearly two years as the team, residents and City Hall argued over traffic, safety and a city commission's proposal to designate the Friendly Confines a historic landmark.

"I think we're 99.9 percent of the way there," said Alderman Bernard Hansen, whose ward includes Wrigley Field.

The Cubs are raising ticket prices by as much as 25 percent for about a quarter of their home games next year despite a 95-loss season in 2002.

Chicago is moving to a three-tiered pricing system, according to a letter sent to season-ticket holders. The plan divides the 81 home games into value dates, regular dates and prime dates.

EXPOS: Montreal outfielder Vladimir Guerrero loves baseball's plan to have the Expos play 22 games in Puerto Rico next year.

"I felt so happy when I read in the newspapers that it's a fact." Guerrero, who is Dominican, said Thursday. "My teammates Jose Vidro and Javier Vasquez are Puerto Rican. Also, Puerto Rico is filled with Dominicans. It will be like playing at home."

The deal is subject to approval by the players' association.

Guerrero hit .336 last year with 39 homers, 40 steals and 111 RBI, just missing the 40-40 club.

"I still have many years left in the majors to achieve it," he said. "I'm not frustrated for not reaching 40-40."

INDIANS: Jim Thome's agent wants Cleveland to make its final offer by Monday.

"His wife is due with the baby," Pat Rooney said. "They would like to get moving on this and get the process going."

Thome's wife, Andrea, is expecting the couple's first child around Christmas.

The team already has made an offer thought to be worth between $40 and $48 million over four years. Indians general manager Mark Shapiro has spent part of the past week talking with owner Larry Dolan about ways the club can raise its proposal to Thome.

Shapiro said it's unlikely the budget-conscious club could increase guaranteed money, but said the Indians have left themselves "room for creativity and flexibility."

PHILLIES: Tom Glavine, the most coveted free-agent pitcher on the market, met with Philadelphia, a day after he visited the New York Mets. Both teams are trying to persuade the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner to leave the Atlanta Braves, his team for 16 years.

The Mets and Phillies made three-year offers to Glavine worth about $9 million to $10 million annually. The Braves offered a two-year deal with an option for 2005 that could become guaranteed based on starts and innings.

"I've been less than thrilled with the way negotiations have gone in Atlanta," Glavine said. "The Braves had an opportunity to make something happen to not get to this point."

ETC: Right fielder Tim Salmon of the World Series champion Anaheim Angels won the 2002 Hutch Award.

The Hutch Award is given each year by Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to a player who displays "honor, courage and dedication to baseball while overcoming adversity in their personal or professional lives."

It honors the memory of former Detroit, St.Louis and Cincinnati manager Fred Hutchinson, who was from Seattle and died of cancer in 1964.

The 34-year-old Salmon will be presented the award Jan.27.

Past winners include Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, Carl Yastrzemski and Jason Giambi. Last year, the award went to Arizona right-hander Curt Schilling.

MINORS: The Toledo Mud Hens hired former Detroit Tigers manager Larry Parrish to take over the Triple-A team. Parrish, 49, replaces Bruce Fields, who was promoted to Tigers hitting coach.

Parrish has been a scout for Detroit the last three seasons after he was fired following the 1999 season. Detroit finished 69-92 in Parrish's only full season on Detroit's bench.